Tom and Jerry:1949

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. I know that I have been very neglectful of this blog, but life is just very busy these days. I will do my best to post updates here at least once a week. So, on with the show.


In "Heavenly Puss", Tom's dangerous dealings with Jerry finally result in his own demise. A piano crushes Tom and sends him into the afterlife.


Tom rides a golden escalator into the sky and tries to sneak onto the train to heaven. However, the conductor knows all about Tom's evil ways on earth and will not allow the cat admission, unless he can obtain Jerry's signature on a document which absolves Tom of all wrongs inflicted on the mouse.


Faced with the alternative (an express ticket to hell), Tom returns to earth and tries to sweeten Jerry up in order to obtain his signature. Jerry's not falling for Tom's nice-guy-routine, and the cat attempts some forgery. He quickly learns that those in charge of heaven see all.


In a great pantomine scene, Tom begs and pleads with Jerry in desperation. He finally obtains Jerry's signature but it is too late. Tom is hurled straight down to the waiting cauldron of the devil, Spike.
Of course, it's all a dream and Tom awakens with a newfound affection for a confused Jerry.

Tom and Jerry:1948

I had another tough choice to make between "Kitty Foiled" and "Old Rockin' Chair Tom". I opted for the former simply because it is what Tom and Jerry are all about. This cartoon has no plot whatsoever but one is not needed. Cat chases mouse and bird. Plenty of cringe-worthy pain is inflicted upon cat.


This one is filled with slam/bang action from start to finish. The only brief pauses in the action are when Jerry and the canary don indian disguises to allude Tom and when the canary holds Tom at gunpoint.


Tom runs fast enough to gain some air, but only briefly, and finds his muzzle in the shape of a mouse hole more than once. A birdcage and floorboards are used as weapons against the cat, and Tom gets all of his teeth knocked out by Jerry weilding a hammer.


One amusing moment is when the canary has a gun pointed at Tom. The bird drops the gun, and Tom politely (but nervously) picks the weapon up and hands it back to the bird so that the threat can resume.


Tom's attempt to run Jerry over with a model train is foiled by the bird, who drops a bowling ball onto the tracks, sending Tom crashing through the floor. Not much more to say here really. Everything you could want in a T&J film. Though I do still really like "Old Rockin' Chair Tom" too. Oh well. The perils of only highlighting one cartoon per year.